twangster

Michael Bayley fielded the Voom question for non OA/QU ships and suites.  His answer was simple.  They did not include Voom in the pricing models for suites on those ships.  
It all goes back to the fact that nothing is "free" on a ship.  MDR, Entertainment, Windjammer - none of that is "free".  It's "included" in the cruise fare.  You pay for it all - in the base cruise fare.
Many folks who book suites on the older ships have been booking them for years.  Years before Oasis and Quantum came into existence.  They've never had and in most cases don't want Voom.  They like to disconnect and have no use for it.  If Royal changed the pricing for those suites that have never had it and increased prices for all suite guests so that it is included, many guests would be up in arms because now they are paying for something they don't want and won't use.
When Sky and Star Class came into existence they rolled it out onto Oasis and Quantum class only and at that time they took the opportunity to include Voom in the pricing model for those classes.  Sky and Star never existed before.  No one used to buy Sky Class and didn't have to pay for Voom.  Therefore no could complain they are paying for something they didn't used to have to pay for because Sky Class had never existed without Voom.
Personally I'd like to see the Voom and the deluxe drink package included in all cruise fares.  Since I tend to buy them, that would be great for me.  For many guests though, they don't want their fare to go up so that I can drink for "free".  Maybe they are recovering alcoholics, maybe they are pregnant, maybe they are 5 years old.  Doesn't matter to me, if everyone pays just a little bit more, I get it for "free".  If Royal said they were going to raise fares by $250 per person and make them all inclusive, Voom and booze, that would be great for me.  However they would have lots of upset people who don't want it.  
They could increase everyone's fare by $50 and everyone gets free photos.  increase by another $75 and everyone gets a free three night dining plan.  Increase by $20 and everyone gets two free t-shirts.  Increase by $60 and everyone gets a watch.  Where does it end?  What if you don't want a watch, photos, t-shirts or specialty dining?  Should you pay more so those who do want it get it for "free"?
That is why suites that are not Sky or Star Class do not include Voom in the fare that you pay.  

When it comes to passports I'm #TeamSafe. 
If you miss the ship, for whatever reason, security goes into your safe and removes your passport.  They then give it to the port agent on the pier.  Security always has access to your safe.  If get locked out (like the time I forgot my passcode) security can open the safe.  
A water damaged passport becomes invalid because they can't verify it isn't an forgery attempt.  Fall off a tour boat, get soaked in a rain storm, etc, a water damaged passport is useless.  Stolen on a beach, mugged or it simply falls out of your pocket on a bus by mistake all can happen.  That is a much worst case scenario for me compared to having to track down the port agent, IF I miss the ship.
You will need some sort of government issued ID for any guest who isn't a minor.  This varies by port but Nassau has been known to insist on it.  Driver's license works great.  My TWIC card works great too.  This is the port people requiring this, not ship security.  The port employees are not Royal employees, they work for the local port.
Perfect Day (CocoCay) is Royal's private island and you only need the SeaPass card.  Bring some cash if you want to shop in the local market on the island.  No other documents are required at CocoCay.  

Fixed.

When it comes to passports I'm #TeamSafe. 
If you miss the ship, for whatever reason, security goes into your safe and removes your passport.  They then give it to the port agent on the pier.  Security always has access to your safe.  If get locked out (like the time I forgot my passcode) security can open the safe.  
A water damaged passport becomes invalid because they can't verify it isn't an forgery attempt.  Fall off a tour boat, get soaked in a rain storm, etc, a water damaged passport is useless.  Stolen on a beach, mugged or it simply falls out of your pocket on a bus by mistake all can happen.  That is a much worst case scenario for me compared to having to track down the port agent, IF I miss the ship.
You will need some sort of government issued ID for any guest who isn't a minor.  This varies by port but Nassau has been known to insist on it.  Driver's license works great.  My TWIC card works great too.  This is the port people requiring this, not ship security.  The port employees are not Royal employees, they work for the local port.
Perfect Day (CocoCay) is Royal's private island and you only need the SeaPass card.  Bring some cash if you want to shop in the local market on the island.  No other documents are required at CocoCay.  

@twangster  we are sailing on her 4/28 for our first time.   Will be the first opportunity my wife's 2 sisters and their husbands as well as my brother and his wife will all be joining us together for a cruise.  We can't wait,   until then, living vicariously through your great photos!   Thanks again!

@JeffCruiser - welcome to the message boards!
Shorter cruises and Caribbean cruises tend to be less strict on dress recommendations.  Some European cruises can run a little more strict.
The key is that Royal has "recommendations" and not a absolute dress code. 
Bathing suits / swimwear are more likely to get called out in the MDR.  Regular shorts and any shirt is generally okay for breakfast and lunch on the MDR.    Casual dinner in the MDR with long pants and a shirt with a collar (polo or button shirt) is average.  Cut off jeans and a t-shirt may work on one ship but catch the eye of the restaurant staff on another ship or different night on the same ship.
I have hiking pants with lower leg sections that zipper off.  At night I zip on the lower leg sections and I have full length pants, by day they are shorts.  They work fine on casual nights.

Michael Bayley fielded the Voom question for non OA/QU ships and suites.  His answer was simple.  They did not include Voom in the pricing models for suites on those ships.  
It all goes back to the fact that nothing is "free" on a ship.  MDR, Entertainment, Windjammer - none of that is "free".  It's "included" in the cruise fare.  You pay for it all - in the base cruise fare.
Many folks who book suites on the older ships have been booking them for years.  Years before Oasis and Quantum came into existence.  They've never had and in most cases don't want Voom.  They like to disconnect and have no use for it.  If Royal changed the pricing for those suites that have never had it and increased prices for all suite guests so that it is included, many guests would be up in arms because now they are paying for something they don't want and won't use.
When Sky and Star Class came into existence they rolled it out onto Oasis and Quantum class only and at that time they took the opportunity to include Voom in the pricing model for those classes.  Sky and Star never existed before.  No one used to buy Sky Class and didn't have to pay for Voom.  Therefore no could complain they are paying for something they didn't used to have to pay for because Sky Class had never existed without Voom.
Personally I'd like to see the Voom and the deluxe drink package included in all cruise fares.  Since I tend to buy them, that would be great for me.  For many guests though, they don't want their fare to go up so that I can drink for "free".  Maybe they are recovering alcoholics, maybe they are pregnant, maybe they are 5 years old.  Doesn't matter to me, if everyone pays just a little bit more, I get it for "free".  If Royal said they were going to raise fares by $250 per person and make them all inclusive, Voom and booze, that would be great for me.  However they would have lots of upset people who don't want it.  
They could increase everyone's fare by $50 and everyone gets free photos.  increase by another $75 and everyone gets a free three night dining plan.  Increase by $20 and everyone gets two free t-shirts.  Increase by $60 and everyone gets a watch.  Where does it end?  What if you don't want a watch, photos, t-shirts or specialty dining?  Should you pay more so those who do want it get it for "free"?
That is why suites that are not Sky or Star Class do not include Voom in the fare that you pay.  

Michael Bayley fielded the Voom question for non OA/QU ships and suites.  His answer was simple.  They did not include Voom in the pricing models for suites on those ships.  
It all goes back to the fact that nothing is "free" on a ship.  MDR, Entertainment, Windjammer - none of that is "free".  It's "included" in the cruise fare.  You pay for it all - in the base cruise fare.
Many folks who book suites on the older ships have been booking them for years.  Years before Oasis and Quantum came into existence.  They've never had and in most cases don't want Voom.  They like to disconnect and have no use for it.  If Royal changed the pricing for those suites that have never had it and increased prices for all suite guests so that it is included, many guests would be up in arms because now they are paying for something they don't want and won't use.
When Sky and Star Class came into existence they rolled it out onto Oasis and Quantum class only and at that time they took the opportunity to include Voom in the pricing model for those classes.  Sky and Star never existed before.  No one used to buy Sky Class and didn't have to pay for Voom.  Therefore no could complain they are paying for something they didn't used to have to pay for because Sky Class had never existed without Voom.
Personally I'd like to see the Voom and the deluxe drink package included in all cruise fares.  Since I tend to buy them, that would be great for me.  For many guests though, they don't want their fare to go up so that I can drink for "free".  Maybe they are recovering alcoholics, maybe they are pregnant, maybe they are 5 years old.  Doesn't matter to me, if everyone pays just a little bit more, I get it for "free".  If Royal said they were going to raise fares by $250 per person and make them all inclusive, Voom and booze, that would be great for me.  However they would have lots of upset people who don't want it.  
They could increase everyone's fare by $50 and everyone gets free photos.  increase by another $75 and everyone gets a free three night dining plan.  Increase by $20 and everyone gets two free t-shirts.  Increase by $60 and everyone gets a watch.  Where does it end?  What if you don't want a watch, photos, t-shirts or specialty dining?  Should you pay more so those who do want it get it for "free"?
That is why suites that are not Sky or Star Class do not include Voom in the fare that you pay.  

@JeffCruiser - welcome to the message boards!
Shorter cruises and Caribbean cruises tend to be less strict on dress recommendations.  Some European cruises can run a little more strict.
The key is that Royal has "recommendations" and not a absolute dress code. 
Bathing suits / swimwear are more likely to get called out in the MDR.  Regular shorts and any shirt is generally okay for breakfast and lunch on the MDR.    Casual dinner in the MDR with long pants and a shirt with a collar (polo or button shirt) is average.  Cut off jeans and a t-shirt may work on one ship but catch the eye of the restaurant staff on another ship or different night on the same ship.
I have hiking pants with lower leg sections that zipper off.  At night I zip on the lower leg sections and I have full length pants, by day they are shorts.  They work fine on casual nights.

Blue Hole is in demand since it was included in the Netflix movie "Like Father". 
Dunn River Falls is attractive to some if you are outdoorsy and in moderate shape.  Bring water shoes.
Some prefer a resort for a day.
I would book an excursion of some sort, it's not a great self-explorer, wander beyond the port area type destination.

love this picture - and i love aft balconies - I think they are some of the best cabins!  thanks for sharing
 

Aft views are nice regardless of destination. 
The views leaving Hubbard Glacier from an aft balcony on Radiance can be spectacular.  

 

I'm not sure I see the problem.  
I can see it in Concierge Lounges on ships that don't have a Suite Lounge such as Anthem. I can see the hoards of D+ and P plus suite guests creating a very packed CL.  
RCI has already alienated some of the D+ level by converting CL into SL and denying D+ access to the very room they used to be able to access simply by changing its name.  That I think was a reasonable measure to create a better suite experience.  As a new D+ member myself I'm okay with this but it does have many long term D+ members talking about this "reduction in benefits".  As more and more CL disappear across the fleet I can see how this is being interpreted by those D+ folks.
Pinnacles tend to gravitate to certain sailings, especially "hometown favorites".  For Galveston or Bayonne I suspect P numbers are elevated compared to FL where there are many cruise ports and even more ships to distribute the P load across. 
In many cases I see Pinnacle in the D lounge despite an SL right across the hall.  In some cases I think they are there for the social aspects of the DL where friends who haven't made it to P are hanging out.  
I've only had SL access on Oasis class ships.  I'm not sure I even noticed there was Pinnacle present on those occasions.  I know of one P guy I met on my 1st RCI cruise and a year later saw him on Harmony in the SL.  We talked and joked at the SL bar for hours.  I certainly never felt like they were impacting my use of the SL or the Suite sundeck on Oasis class.
In my opinion Pinnacles have paid their dues by sailing a lot and I mean a lot.  Royal needs to reward such loyalty and the hundreds of thousands these folks have paid over the years compared to someone who drops $6k every couple of years for a GS.  As such I am fine with the current system.  

Since it seems to come up a lot, and although Twangster's detailed blog is far superior, I thought there may be one or two who might be curious about a recent experience.  I purchased it for my 4-night Mariner of the Seas cruise to Nassau/Coco Cay.  I was a solo traveler and I had a $25 onboard credit, so the price came to $55.  Between Voom and lunch on embarkation day, I'd already gotten my value, so it was really a no-brainer purchase for me.
Embarkation:  They called The Key people with the Pinnacle/Diamond/Diamond Plus members when they opened up the doors.  I suspect they just threw us in with them because it was so early and there were very few people in the terminal yet.
Delivery  of carry on luggage to stateroom:  A few of us wandered around trying to figure out where to drop off our carry on luggage when we first boarded - they were a little behind and didn't have a sign on the theatre door, or anyone in the theatre to take the bags yet.  In about 10 minutes we all figured it out (all 5 of us at that point) and someone did show up to start the process.  Unfortunately that person hadn't been provided with any luggage tags, so anyone who hadn't tagged their luggage had to wait a little while - I had my luggage tag on my one rolling carry on.  They also had business cards with Voom codes on it - but none of them matched the names of anyone who was there, so staff was confused. In the end they just gave us a card for whoever (sorry Adam Davis, or whoever's I had), and we were on our way.  I assume they managed to work it out in the end, but it was never an issue for me.
Lunch at Chops - was a nice treat!
Reserved seating section at shows - I only went to the comedy show really late on Embarkation day and on the last night.  There was a section roped off for The Key next to either higher C&A or suite folks - it really didn't matter at this show because there was really hardly anyone in the theatre.  The first night I sat in The Key section, the last night I sat somewhere else - it didn't matter.  But this is Mariner, not a Quantum or Oasis class ship, so I imagine it would make a difference on one of those ships.
Reserved times for Flow Rider/Rock Climbing Wall/Sky Pad/Perfect Storm - they had at least 2 hours set aside during the week for each activity. They weren't at the most convenient hours, but, at least on my sailing,  it wasn't necessary for a separate time - there was never a line at any of those activities - I never saw more than a few people in line for any of them and most of the time nobody was using them. Apparently this was a "sit by the pool and drink" cruise for folks.
On the 2nd day, I happened to stop by my cabin to pick something up and someone knocked on my door and delivered a fruit plate that was complimentary for The Key people. That was unexpected.
Priority tender - We only tendered at CoCo Cay - I went down to get on the tender about an hour after we anchored and there was a line (not a ridiculous line, but a line as you'd expect there to be).  There was no staff along the line at all to ask about The Key benefit, and I'm just not the type to walk past a bunch of people who are waiting to also get on the tender to get in front of them, so I just got on with everyone else.  I was able to get on the tender right away anyway, probably because I wasn't trying to get on the first tender of the day, so it was just fine with me. I could have been more assertive, but that's just not me. And the ending result would have been exactly the same in this case.
Disembarkation Day - it was nice to have a quiet, unrushed breakfast in the MDR.  It was the only time I'd sat with other people during a meal - almost the only time I'd spoken to any other people all week (I did talk to the iguana and the chickens on CoCo Cay earlier, that's a whole different story #retiredzookeeper) and I did enjoy that.  After breakfast, I ran back up to my room, grabbed my carry on, and went down to Deck 4, where there happened to be a staff member manning the line.  I asked him about The Key disembarkation, and he personally escorted me to the gangway past a long line, which was REALLY nice.
I liked the program, and it was defnintely worth it on a short sailing.  I was getting Voom anyway, and there were just enough things that I was going to enjoy along the way that it made it worth it to me.  I very much doubt that I'll get it on my Ovation sailing to Alaska in June - I will be going with my husband, who has no interest in Voom, and we will be meeting up with old friends, who will not have The Key, so we won't be taking advantage of reserved seating with shows and special times for activities since they won't be able to partake with us during those times. We'll evaluate it again on our Symphony sailing in Feb 2020 - things may have changed with the program, or the hubs may decide he wants internet access, so we'll see then.
Hope this helps someone out there!

All ships of any size can be influenced by sea conditions.  If you felt it more on this sailing, it isn't because you were on an Oasis class ship, but because that it how the ocean was behaving on this sailing.
There is a lot more to it than just wind or waves.  The two are not always coming from the same direction and the direction and speed of the ship relative to wind and the sea conditions are factors in the perception of motion and how it feels on board.
It's possible to have wind and following seas (wind and waves coming from behind the ship) but a distant storm in a completely different direction is producing a swell that originates hundreds of miles away and produces a sea condition that causes the entire sea to rise and fall slowly in an almost imperceptible manner.  I call that a slow roller because it's like a very slow and gentle rise and fall of the sea but covering a much larger area compared to a smaller wind driven waves that may be present.  
When the whole sea is rising and falling even the largest ships rise and fall with it.  They aren't massive waves that are high and obvious rather just a slow and spread out swell.  
If the ship was heading perfectly straight into this swell, the motion would be of a porpoising like action where the front and back rise and fall at different times (pitch).  When the ship is moving in a direction at an angle relative to this swell it can cause the front and back of the ship to move at different times causing the subtle side to side feeling (roll).  
Captain Rob recorded some videos played on the Symphony TV system during the transatlantic sailing this past fall.  He explained the sea factors that can create a feeling of motion in this video starting around the 7:30 mark into the video:
I shot this next video as a time lapse.  Even though there were no waves to speak of (the sea looks quite calm) there was a swell coming from the remnants of Hurricane Oscar hundreds of miles away to our North West.  When played back in real time the time lapse makes it much easier to see the swell of the sea.  When viewed live and in person the swell is nearly undetectable.
As Captain Rob explained you might have one swell coming from the North and a second swell coming from a different storm hundreds of miles away to the South.  These "slow rollers" can create a feeling of motion and depending on the angle relative to the ship heading, it can cause a pitching movement (front to back) or a rolling movement (side to side).  
Bottom line - you felt it more on this Oasis sailing because of the sea conditions that you just happened to sail under compared to other cruises.  Any ship big or small is influenced by sea swell.  
 
 

I am almost always booked through a travel agent and once in a while that link will appear.  My payments are processed by the agency and i can't pay direct using the website even i wanted to.  
Royal IT... the mystery continues.  

Wrong cruise line?

Fixed.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1233584-the-absolutely-positively-official-slot-pull-rules-and-results-thread/

All ships of any size can be influenced by sea conditions.  If you felt it more on this sailing, it isn't because you were on an Oasis class ship, but because that it how the ocean was behaving on this sailing.
There is a lot more to it than just wind or waves.  The two are not always coming from the same direction and the direction and speed of the ship relative to wind and the sea conditions are factors in the perception of motion and how it feels on board.
It's possible to have wind and following seas (wind and waves coming from behind the ship) but a distant storm in a completely different direction is producing a swell that originates hundreds of miles away and produces a sea condition that causes the entire sea to rise and fall slowly in an almost imperceptible manner.  I call that a slow roller because it's like a very slow and gentle rise and fall of the sea but covering a much larger area compared to a smaller wind driven waves that may be present.  
When the whole sea is rising and falling even the largest ships rise and fall with it.  They aren't massive waves that are high and obvious rather just a slow and spread out swell.  
If the ship was heading perfectly straight into this swell, the motion would be of a porpoising like action where the front and back rise and fall at different times (pitch).  When the ship is moving in a direction at an angle relative to this swell it can cause the front and back of the ship to move at different times causing the subtle side to side feeling (roll).  
Captain Rob recorded some videos played on the Symphony TV system during the transatlantic sailing this past fall.  He explained the sea factors that can create a feeling of motion in this video starting around the 7:30 mark into the video:
I shot this next video as a time lapse.  Even though there were no waves to speak of (the sea looks quite calm) there was a swell coming from the remnants of Hurricane Oscar hundreds of miles away to our North West.  When played back in real time the time lapse makes it much easier to see the swell of the sea.  When viewed live and in person the swell is nearly undetectable.
As Captain Rob explained you might have one swell coming from the North and a second swell coming from a different storm hundreds of miles away to the South.  These "slow rollers" can create a feeling of motion and depending on the angle relative to the ship heading, it can cause a pitching movement (front to back) or a rolling movement (side to side).  
Bottom line - you felt it more on this Oasis sailing because of the sea conditions that you just happened to sail under compared to other cruises.  Any ship big or small is influenced by sea swell.  
 
 

He's a bot.  What do you expect ?

Yesterday I experienced a trip delay returning on a cruise and I thought it would make an interesting "lessons learned" post.
My 4 night cruise on Brilliance of the Seas left Tampa on time and on schedule.  It was a great cruise with a group of friends and we all enjoyed it.  When we finished our day in Cozumel and re-boarded the ship none of us knew how mother nature had her own plans for our return to Tampa despite calm seas and smooth sailing.
Fog.  Heavy fog.  
To reach the pier in Tampa you need to pass under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.  In 1980 during severe weather a freighter struct the original bridge sending a section of the bridge crashing into the bay killing 35 people.  As such, Tampa and it's pilots don't take chances when it comes to weather.
We arrived to the Tampa pilot station six hours ahead of schedule in an attempt to beat the fog but the fog beat us, arriving earlier than forecast.
Our attempt to beat the fog and arrive early didn't come without cost.  Running any boat, vessel, craft or ship at full speed consumes a massive amount of fuel compared to running at a nominal cruising speed.  Royal spent tens of thousands of dollars on fuel and it's an example how Royal does try to do the best thing for everyone involved even if it costs them significant sums of money.
Waking up early on debark day I noted our speed was zero but we were still outside of Tampa Bay. Oh boy, here we go.  Up on deck 12 I could see several cargo and tanker ships hanging around with us in the fog.  Beyond the lights of the other ships you couldn't see much of anything.  Fog.
The Captain informed us that the channel into the port was closed by the Coast Guard and we would need to wait until the channel opened and a pilot could come out to board the ship.  The initial estimate was a 2:30pm arrival at the pier.
Not long after the Captain informed us that he just got word that another cruise ship got stuck in port the day before and couldn't leave due to the fog.  The channel through Tampa Bay is narrow and only one cruise ship can occupy it at a time, two ships cannot pass each other in the channel.  It takes 2 to 3 hours for a ship to transit the channel.  We had no choice but to wait for that ship to depart and clear the bay before could begin our entrance to the bay.  Estimated arrival now 5:30pm.  
Lesson 1 - Don't book early flights.
While sitting around an airport for a day doesn't sound that attractive you need to understand the risk that comes with booking an early flight.  Delays happens for a number of reasons most of which are no one's fault and unavoidable.  Weather delays happen, some ports like Tampa or Galveston are more likely to experience delays at certain times of the year.  Do some research before booking that flight.  Delays can occur for many reasons beyond weather.  
In my case, I had booked a 6:30pm flight home because it was cheapest, like $175 cheaper than the 10:30am direct flight.  Over the weeks before the cruise I kept looking at that knowing I could pay the difference on Southwest and grab the earlier direct flight but if someone said to me "I'll give you $175 and all you need to do is stay at an airport for 8 hours" I'd take that deal every time.
I knew I could get some work done using the free airport wifi so my plan was to get off the ship early and spend the day working from the airport knowing if there was a delay, I could be relaxed and not stressed out.  Not only did I save money but the later flight also saved me a bunch of stress during this experience.
Lesson 2 - Travel Insurance.  This is a perfect example of how travel insurance needs to be high on anyone's list to consider. 
Our group of about 70 included folks with travel insurance and some "self insured" as they put it.  Some people were out $400 or $500 per person to rebook next day airfare and they had to pay for a hotel and meals on top of that.  For a couple that can be over $1,000.  For a family of four that could be over $2,000.  Those with insurance will get some, if not all of that back.  Those without just lost a whole lot of money.
However know your travel insurance coverage and limits.  My annual travel insurance policy was chosen primarily for medical coverage.  It has some trip interruption coverage but it doesn't have great reimbursement for delays of this nature.  
Lesson 3 - If you have travel insurance, know how to use it.
A lot of people in our group had insurance but had no idea what to do in the hour of need.  What is their phone number? What is the policy number?  What is covered and what isn't?  How much is covered?  Do you need pre-approval? What documentation is required?  The ship had letters pre-printed and available at guest services stating there was a weather delay and some insurance companies will need that documentation for a claim to proceed.  
If you buy insurance that's great, but know what to do when you need to use it.
Lesson 4 - They keep the food and beverages flowing.  
No need to worry about your extra time on board, they have ample food for such events and lined up more activities to keep us busy.  Most people took it all in stride and rolled with it.  It was quite enjoyable, much like any sea day.
Lesson 5 - Listen to announcements and pay attention. 
On the last night of the cruise many people put their luggage tags on their bag and place them in the hallway.  Bags are collected by the crew and prepared to be offloaded once the ship reaches the pier.  It takes time for the pier personnel to offload thousands of bags.  There is a reason why bag tags have numbers and bags are offloaded in order so that numbers can be called only when those bags will be ready and waiting in the terminal.  
During an event like this there a natural tendency to want to get off as soon as the ship arrives but cruise terminals cannot hold thousands of people waiting hours for luggage to be offloaded.  
Of course what occurred once we did finally reach the pier?  Hundreds of guests ignored the announcements, made a stampede to exit during the "self assist" time and found themselves having to stand outside the terminal waiting for up to 2 hours for their luggage, with no where to sit and no food or water.  If they had listened to the announcements they could have been sitting comfortably on the ship with access to restrooms, food and beverages. Instead they made the self-assist process more chaotic and accomplished nothing but misery for themselves in the process. 
Listen to the announcements, follow instructions.  
Lesson 6 - You can't fight mother nature. 
It's not the crew's fault, it's not the Captains fault, it's not the cruise line's fault. Don't be one of those people making an already difficult situation any worse.   Even if you are one of those people who choose to ignore the lessons above, at the end of the day becoming ugly or snarky with the crew or terminal employees accomplishes nothing.  Sit back, take a deep breathe and relax.  Life will go on and it will all work out in the end.  Put a smile on in the face of adversity.  Be kind to other's and don't get everyone else spun up.  Staying calm and friendly helps other's stay calm and friendly.  If you are stressed out, it will make your spouse and/or kids stressed out.  If you are calm and smiling through it, your loved ones will be more relaxed.  Do it for them.
Lesson 7 - If you don't buy insurance you've only got yourself to blame.
Accept the fact that you saved some money by not buying insurance.  You took a gamble and lost.  The money saved by not buying insurance may take a small bite out of your losses.  No cruise line can change factors beyond their control.  It's not their fault.  You took the chance and lost.  Accept responsibility and move on.  
Me?  I got lucky.  A lot of factors combined to work out in my favor.  I had booked a later flight.  I have travel insurance.  I always use self-assist.  Customs was fast.  Taxi's were waiting.   TSA Pre lines had no wait.  Southwest did an amazing job getting my luggage on the plane checking in at 38 minutes before departure.  The stars aligned for me perfectly and I didn't need to make a claim against my insurance policy.  I was fortunate but in a small group of lucky guests.

If prices dropped they are trying to stimulate sales.  
I like to joke we see it when the next interim payment is due on current ship being built.  If they need an influx of cash, put it on sale!

All ships of any size can be influenced by sea conditions.  If you felt it more on this sailing, it isn't because you were on an Oasis class ship, but because that it how the ocean was behaving on this sailing.
There is a lot more to it than just wind or waves.  The two are not always coming from the same direction and the direction and speed of the ship relative to wind and the sea conditions are factors in the perception of motion and how it feels on board.
It's possible to have wind and following seas (wind and waves coming from behind the ship) but a distant storm in a completely different direction is producing a swell that originates hundreds of miles away and produces a sea condition that causes the entire sea to rise and fall slowly in an almost imperceptible manner.  I call that a slow roller because it's like a very slow and gentle rise and fall of the sea but covering a much larger area compared to a smaller wind driven waves that may be present.  
When the whole sea is rising and falling even the largest ships rise and fall with it.  They aren't massive waves that are high and obvious rather just a slow and spread out swell.  
If the ship was heading perfectly straight into this swell, the motion would be of a porpoising like action where the front and back rise and fall at different times (pitch).  When the ship is moving in a direction at an angle relative to this swell it can cause the front and back of the ship to move at different times causing the subtle side to side feeling (roll).  
Captain Rob recorded some videos played on the Symphony TV system during the transatlantic sailing this past fall.  He explained the sea factors that can create a feeling of motion in this video starting around the 7:30 mark into the video:
I shot this next video as a time lapse.  Even though there were no waves to speak of (the sea looks quite calm) there was a swell coming from the remnants of Hurricane Oscar hundreds of miles away to our North West.  When played back in real time the time lapse makes it much easier to see the swell of the sea.  When viewed live and in person the swell is nearly undetectable.
As Captain Rob explained you might have one swell coming from the North and a second swell coming from a different storm hundreds of miles away to the South.  These "slow rollers" can create a feeling of motion and depending on the angle relative to the ship heading, it can cause a pitching movement (front to back) or a rolling movement (side to side).  
Bottom line - you felt it more on this Oasis sailing because of the sea conditions that you just happened to sail under compared to other cruises.  Any ship big or small is influenced by sea swell.  
 
 

Two weeks ago I landed at 11:30am, waited for checked baggage and took Lyft to the Tampa port.
According to my emailed receipt, the Lyft started at 12:40pm (after waiting 8 minutes for car to make it to the terminal) and it ended at 1:04pm. 
10.10 miles and 24m 11s.  My fare was $21.18 including a tip.  
No lines in the terminal, straight onto the ship with cabins already available.  Plenty of time.   
If your flight lands on time, take your time, no hurry.